Proactive Technologies Report – November, 2016

Proactive Technologies is Reaching Out With a Significant Discount Offer Until December 15, 2016!

by Proactive Technologies, Inc. Staff

Proactive Technologies Inc. is extending a generous discount offer to manufacturing employers through December 15, 2016! It is our way to reach out to employers who contacted us with interest in exploring the power and benefits of a structured on-the-job training infrastructure, but were held back by budget realities.

Recently notices were emailed regarding this offer. Former clients received specific information describing, in brief, “where we left off” with their project, suggesting that they contact us to learn what little needs to be done to update and implement their program. This accelerated transfer of expertise™ approach is a tremendous offer without the discount, but with it can help any employer train the skill skilled workers they need and realize an increase in worker capacity, work quantity and quality and compliance while reducing the internal costs of training. Both new-hires and incumbent workers are driven to full job masteryand higher levels of return on worker investment (ROWI).

Why not find out more about this approach while the discount offer program is underway? What do you have to lose? Contact us to hear more how this discount offer can help your organization build a structured on-the-job training infrastructure with nearly half the normal investment. A live online presentation list is available in this newsletter. Click on the title you are interested in and best for a schedule, or click on Contact Us to schedule your own.

Watch your email inbox for a resend of the flyer in a few days with dates we will be in your area.

10 Reasons Structured On-The-Job Training is a Vital and Necessary System for Any Organization

by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.

There are many reasons a deliberate, structured on-the-job training system should be a priority consideration for any employer. For decades employers have felt that having an employee take a few classes here and a few online modules there translates directly to improved worker output and performance. But for decades, as well, employers have continued to talk about a continually increasing “skills gap.” Connection? Obviously yes.

“Employers expend enormous resources – time, effort, dollars – on efforts to improve efficiencies…in some cases without making an appreciable difference or reaching the intended goals.”

A deliberate and documented system to develop workers and maximize the return on worker investment should be a “no-brainer.” Employers expend enormous resources – time, effort, dollars – on efforts to improve efficiencies…in some cases without making an appreciable difference or reaching the intended goals. But rather than a philosophical discussion comparing approaches to training, I thought it might be beneficial to just offer symptoms of failed approaches and reasons why any employer should think more seriously about the state of their internal training infrastructure.

According to a Training Magazine article entitled, “Bridging the Skills Gap” by Lorri Freifeld, these revealing points were extracted:

Only 1 in 10 organizations has the skills needed to utilize advanced technologies such as cloud and mobile computing, social business, and business analytics. (2012 IBM Tech Trends Report; 1,200 professionals who make technology decisions for their organizations, 250 academics, and 450 students.)

Alarming number of professionals (more than 60 percent), and students and professors (73 percent) feel there is a moderate to major skill gap in these four technology areas.

Nearly half of the educators and students surveyed for the report indicated major gaps in their institution’s ability to meet IT skill needs.”

Even with preventative measures, there could be 20 to 23 million workers in advanced economies without the skills employers will need in 2020 (McKinsey’s The World at Work report). Read More

Frank Gibson, Long-Time Program Manager of The Ohio State University – Alber Enterprise Center Retires

By Proactive Technologies, Inc. Staff

Frank Gibson, Program Manager at The Ohio State University – Alber Enterprise Center in Marion Ohio announced that he will be retiring from his position officially November 4th, 2016. A retirement party was held at the center October 31st at The Center. After a brief “time-out,” Frank plans to pursue projects in his area of expertise as a self-employed contractor.

Mr. Gibson started his career path in manufacturing, working in management for companies such as Millington Plastics, U-Brand Plastics, Baja Boats and Hydraulic Inc. Prior to formally joining the OSU-AEC, The Center contracted with him through Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center Adult Education where he was employed from 1997 – 2002. Mr. Gibson also held assignments with the Ohio Department of Development – Ohio Industrial Training Program as an area representative, and as a business and industry consultant for Tri-Rivers Adult Education.

A “Pay-for-Value” Worker Development Program – Fair to Management and Workers, and Effective Too!

by Stacey Lett, Regional Manager –

Eastern U.S., Proactive Technologies, Inc.

A conundrum for many employers – those who are allowed to consider the wage-value relationship in their business strategy – is “what is the right pay rate for work performed.” An often used strategy is to establish a competitive wage range for a job classification based on area surveys of similar job classification in the industry, adjusted for the uniqueness of work requirements for the employer’s job classification. Once hired, an employee progresses through the wage range measured by time in the job classification, in some cases with wage adjustments based on merit. While consistent, this approach may limit the employer to paying, in many cases, more for labor than the value derived. And here is why.

If an employer purchases a new, technologically advanced, piece of machinery that is advertised to increase the output of a process from 100 units per hour to 300 units per hour, the employer would be disappointed if it only received 150 units per hour. That employer would, most likely, challenge the manufacturer and perhaps request a refund if not satisfied.

“How would one determine the proper wage rate for the value derived if there is no effort to hire workers accurately to today’s job needs, train workers to all of the required tasks and measure workers for the work they were hired and trained to perform?”

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Why doesn’t that same sentiment apply to hiring workers? In a hypothetical, but typical, example an employer has an opening for a job classification that consists of 50 critical tasks that the employer expects the person filling that job classification to perform. Why shouldn’t the employer expect that person to master all 50 tasks? What might happen instead, after what is considered to be the “training period” is completed, the employer notices through anecdotal evidence and whispers that the output from that hired individual is below expectation. As time goes by and dissatisfaction grows, the decision to terminate the employee is made, often not measured against the investment in the employee thus far. If retained, the employee progresses through the wage range with no guarantee that the employee’s output increases. Where is the concern to correct this?

This is what happens without the right infrastructure to develop the maximum output from each employee relative to the job classification they are assigned. It starts like this: Read More

View the full list of live online presentation topics for employers, education and workforce development agencies. Find a date and time that works for you, fill in the contact form and we’ll send an invitation and link. If none of the of dates and times work, mention a date and time good for you in your submission and we’ll set it up.

No special equipment needed – just a computer with speakers and microphone. If you do not have speakers and phone, use the “call-in” number.